After the Battle
by Chisicet
Summary: This is STEP UP 2. After the battle. What happens when Sophie only wants to be his friend? Someone else comes along and he moves on. This is MooseXOC fan fiction.


**I decided** **to go back through this and elongate it. You'll notice a change in style but that's ok, styles change over the years. I hope this is better as one long chapter than tiny little ones. I'll be writing the second chapter up soon, it'll be as long as this one is now. FYI, I hate my new keyboard, the i button sucks...**

"Andie, Chase!" Moose called out, trying to get their attention through the pouring rain and screaming people. They had just done the best street battle Andie had ever seen before, and she was proud of them all. Andie hugged Moose to her and Chase gave him a high five. "That was awesome! The best too, and not to mention the rain helped! Man, this was so cool, we should do this more often." Moose's mouth was going a mile a minute.

Everyone just smiled and ignored him; he was going to be hyper for a long while. He was beaming from the kiss he just got from Sophie and he wanted to kiss her again, but he couldn't find her anywhere, so he stuck close to his friends, he didn't want to get separated in this sea of people. After dancing in the rain for the next hour people started to leave, not wanting to catch a cold or it was late, someone had some excuse to be leaving, but Moose didn't mind. Andie and Chase had long since disappeared and the rest of the crew drifted away slowly. Missy and Moose were left with a handful of people around them.

"Hey Moose, come ova here fer a sec. I wan ya to meet my cuz, Sori Rilla, we call her Mouse." Missy said, introducing her cousin. She seemed a bit shy, but she was cute. She had long black hair, green eyes and she was shorter than Moose, but only by an inch or so. He smiled his brilliant smile at her and she felt her heart pick up its pace.

"Hey Mouse, if you don't mind me asking, why do they call you that?" She smiled and looked at Missy, who in turn smiled back. She didn't brace herself like she would have when someone poked her, but this time it was to show him. Missy poked her and she jumped an inch or so, squeaking as she did. "Oh… that's why, that's so cool!" Moose started in on one of his many fast talks and Sori just smiled as she listened. Missy was swept away by someone and Sori realized just how cold she was without her cousins arm around her. She started shivering and it only got worse the longer they stood there with him rambling on.

"Moose…" She said timidly, he didn't seem to hear her so she said it louder. "Moose!" He looked at her confused for a second before she started talking again. "It's cold out here, and wet, and I don't do so well being cold." Her body shivered violently to prove her point and he nodded.

"Want me to walk you home? Or do you have a way? Because that's cool too…" She had to stop him.

"Yes, you could walk me home; it's up to Missy if you can." He chuckled and sauntered over to Missy, pulling Sori by one of her wrist. His grip was gentle, not demanding, and despite his hand being wet, it felt like touching something soft, yet rough, and warm; like just out of the dryer cotton.

"Yo, Missy." She turned and smiled at them, taking note in how he was holding her wrist. "Can I walk Mouse home?" She nodded and when Moose turned away Missy winked at her cousin. "See, nothing to worry about, let's go!"

Walking down the street Moose and Sori talked, he was actually listening part of the time. She turned a corner not paying attention and ran smack dab into someone. She squeaked and started to fall backwards but Moose caught her in his surprisingly strong arms. She looked up gratefully at Moose before turning her attention to who it was she had run into. She stepped back into Moose when she saw it was her other cousin, the one from 410. He turned around and glared at her, he than noticed who she was with and it seemed like the 410 member just snapped.

"Get the hell away from him!" He yelled at her, she shook her head and backed up even further. Moose seemed to stand his ground, but she knew without a doubt he wouldn't stand a chance against him. He lowered his head to whisper in her ear when she turned her head to tell him something.

"Run, run as fast as you can." She said to him strongly, to get her point out before he could ramble something stupid out. He looked at her shocked and slowly shook his head.

"You might want to listen to her." He cracked his knuckles threateningly and Moose just looked at Sori.

"He won't do anything to me, but you… just run!" She pushed him away and she ran to hug her cousin so he wouldn't chase him, Moose looked back once before taking off. He ran until he was back where he started. 8th and Main Street. He looked around, no one was here anymore, they had all left already. He stood there for a minute and rubbed his face, trying to think of what to do, he couldn't. So he sighed and looked around before shrugging his backpack up further on his shoulder and started walking toward his home.

* * *

Walking into the school the next morning he looked around for his friends, he found them in the studio they used to rehearse. He walked in and high fived the guys and hugged the girls.

"We were the bomb last night!" Monster exclaimed, he jumped around getting them all excited. They all laughed and started pulling off dance moves until the bell for class rang. They all bolted out of there before they were late and Moose still had to go see Director Collins. He knocked on the door and after a minute he heard a muffled 'come in'. He opened the door slowly and stuck his head in and looked at the Director.

"You said I was in the wrong department last night, thought I'd come by and talk to you about my classes." The Director nodded and motioned him to come in and sit down, which he did. When he sat down he noticed someone sitting next to him, he looked over and his eyes widened with a big smile on his face. "Nice to see you again Mouse." She nodded and gave a small smile.

"You two know each other?" She nodded but still didn't say anything. He just sat back in the seat, remembering how she stuck up for him the night before. "Miss Rilla you will have your classes fixed as soon as you go to the office and hand them this." He reached across the desk and handed her a folded piece of paper. She nodded and slowly stood up, looking at Moose for a second she bolted. He looked after her confused and didn't know what to do. _That was a bit odd._ He thought before turning back around in his seat. "Now Robert Alexander the third, I do believe you belong in my class." He said leaning back in his chair, messing with the pen in his hand. Smiling Moose answered him.

"Yes sir, I mean… I'd love to… I mean, that'd be cool." He rambled off and the Director just watched him before nodding. He leaned forward onto his desk and started writing on a piece of paper before folding it and giving it to Moose.

"Now, go to the office and give them this and they'll fix your classes so that you're in my dance class. I bet if you request it, you can be in the afternoon class with Andie." He said with a small smile.

"Yes sir!" Moose stood up and nodded, putting his backpack on he walked out and down the hall to the office.

* * *

During lunch Moose went through the line, got his food and made his way to the table with his friends. He sat down next to Monster and Kido; they were talking across the table to Andie. She was telling them about how they'd be able to go to the dragon whenever they wanted to now. They all cheered and Moose caught sight of Sori coming outside. He smiled big and excused himself as he walked over to her.

"Hey Mouse." She turned at her name and smiled when she saw Moose.

"Hey, what's up?" She said, biting her lower lip. She was nervous, but she didn't want to show it. Her first day at MSA hadn't gotten off to a good start. She'd made a fool of herself in all of her classes so far and she was still embarrassed from that she was sure her face was still red.

"Nothing much, hey, I'm sure you don't quite have a place to sit during lunch, you wanna come sit with me and the crew? We're a lot of fun. I promise." He kept turning around to look at the table, finally pointing to his friends. She nodded and noticed he didn't see so she coughed and he looked at her.

"Yes, I'd love to." Hopefully she wouldn't make too much of a fool this time. These people knew about the streets and she could blend in, but seeing as she was the only Hispanic girl at the table didn't seem likely. She followed Moose to the table while he kept rambling on and on about different stuff. He sat back down between Kido and Monster and she kind of stood there a bit awkward.

Moose turned to look at her and she smiled shyly at him until he elbowed Monster and told him to scoot over. When he did she slowly sat down and noticed them all staring at her. Monster kept checking her out and when Moose noticed he turned away while Sori talked to Monster.

He didn't like the look he saw on his friends face, or the way it made Sori's cheeks turn red. He seemed really angry about it, but he wasn't sure why, he'd never felt this way about someone giving another that look before. He shrugged it off for now and started to turn back to ask Sori something when Andie caught his attention.

"Hey Moose, can I talk to you for a minute?" He nodded and followed her a little bit away. Sori noticed he walked off with the pretty chick that she still didn't know her name. Her eyes narrowed and she turned and laughed at something funny Smiles was saying.

"Ya Andie?" He put his hands in his pocket and leaned back against the wall looking back at the table and watched as Sori flirted with Monster, throwing him glances.

"What's going on? You had suddenly looked down, you were all hyper and then you just slumped in your seat after that girl sat down." She pointed out.

"You noticed that did you? Well…" He shrugged and looked down at his feet. "I have no idea why, but the look Monster gave her, it… I don't know, it made me mad, and I don't know why it should. I mean I don't like her like that-" Andie cut him off.

"I think you do." He snapped his head up to look at her and she smiled. "I saw the way you looked at her, and you had jumped up to meet her so fast I almost think I saw nothing but a blur." He smiled a small smile and shrugged again.

"I don't know. I mean, Sophie though… did I tell you she kissed me last night?" Andie shook her head.

"Wow, didn't think she'd 'lower her standards'." They laughed at the joke and she hit his arm. "At the moment, I think she's trying to make you jealous." She motioned to the table where Monster was giving her a hug and she lingered under his arm as she looked over at them.

"She is?" Andie nodded, and laughed.

"Yes she is. And its working I see it." He blushed and looked down again, shuffling his foot on the floor. "Come on; let's get back to the table before Monster has a break down." He laughed again and they walked toward the table again. As they came near the table Sophie materialized out of nowhere and hooked her arm through Moose's.

"Hey Moose, can we talk?" He nodded and she waited for Andie to walk away; Andie looked at Moose and he nodded to her and she walked to the table. "Look Moose," she stepped away from him a bit and took one of his hands in hers. "I don't know what came over me last night when I kissed you, but I don't want you to be all confused and what not so I thought that I would kind of clear this up and just say that I only want to be your friend. Don't get me wrong, your cute and funny and a great dancer, but I just don't see you more than a friend. So-" He stopped her by pulling his hand out of hers.

"It's fine, I understand, I was confused about it, but it's ok, I actually think that helps me a lot. Thank you, I'll talk to you later, I have something to do." He was looking at Sori as he said this and he walked past Sophie as she tried to say something in response. He sat down next to Sori again and caught her attention by putting his hand over hers that was between them on the seat. She turned his direction and he started talking to her, making her laugh.

He'd think about his feelings later right now he was content to just talk to her with his hand on hers.

As they got up to go back to class Moose insisted on walking Sori to her class. On the way they said little, but held hands, they stopped by her locker. They watched the kids walking past them and Moose shifted his feet a couple of times not sure of what to say, he'd not really ever had this kind of chance before.

"Mouse, I…" He sighed and looked up, locking eyes with her, he drew his courage from the look in her eyes. "Sori Rilla, will you go out with me?" Her eyes lit up and her smile spread and she opened her mouth to say yes as the bell rang, saying they had a minute to get to class. He panicked, his class was a few hallways away. "I gotta go, give me your answer after school on the front steps!" He said as he ran off.

All throughout the day all he could think of was her, and he was so hyper that he could barely pay attention in his classes. He held on through the day and when the last bell rang he rushed outside to the steps to see Sori. He stood there for ten minutes when Missy walked up she was coming to see the crew for more practices.

"Hey Moose, What're you doing?" He smiled and leaned over to give her a hug.

"Waiting to see Mouse." Missy cocked her head and looked confused.

"I thought she left, did she come back to the school?" Moose looked at her a confused look of his own.

"Here, she gave me this to give to you, she was picked up by our cousin, Junea." She handed him a folded piece of paper and patted his shoulder, preceding to head inside. He leaned back against the wall and opened the note and read it.

_Hey Moose,_

_Sorry that I wasn't there to give you my answer, but I have something to do_

_so I'll wait till I see you tomorrow to give you my answer, I don't want to do it through a note,_

_that's just impersonal. I have to go, see you in the morning._

_-Sori Rilla_

He folded it up and with new hope he ran inside for the crew's new rehearsal.

* * *

The next morning Moose wasn't feeling too well. His head hurt a lot, and he didn't eat breakfast so his stomach was yelling at him. So much for sleep the night before, because he sure didn't get any. All he could think of was Sori, and he just could not get her out of his head. He didn't know why, just that he couldn't. He walked into the room where his friends usually met up before classes and sat amongst them, gaining a few worried looks. Andie walked in and took one look at him before pulling him away to talk.

"Moose, you ok? You don't look so hot." He smirked and would have had a great come back for that, but he just wasn't feelin it today. He yawned and shook his head, leaning against the wall to support him. His legs sure weren't going to for much longer.

"I feel awful, and I'm not sure why." She felt his forehead and he hissed at her cold fingers.

"Come on I'm taking you to the nurse." She grabbed his arm and pulled him down the hall, he protested the whole way, but once in the nurses office he just slumped into one of the chairs. While Andie talked to one of the nurses Moose started to drift to sleep, that's all he wanted, was to sleep.

The nurse came out and woke him up so she could take his temperature and she shook her head.

"He shouldn't have come to school, he's got a high fever, I'm calling his parents. I'm sure someone will come pick him up." The nurse said to Andie who looked worriedly at her friend. She nodded and went to sit with him until the nurse made her go to her class after the bell rang. "Thank you, I can watch him now." She shooed Andie out of the office.

Moose was in the nurse's office for another thirty minutes when his mother walked in. She took one look at him sleeping and sighed. She walked over to the nurse and talked to her for a few minutes.

"I'm sorry about him, I told him this morning he didn't look like he should go anywhere, but he was persistent, saying something about seeing some girl. Thank you though, we'll be leaving," she looked at his sleeping form, "as soon as I can get him up." She laughed and the nurse nodded.

* * *

It was a week before anyone saw Moose again at school; even then he still looked like he should still be in bed. The whole time he was out Mouse had avoided the crew and sat on her own, she just couldn't face them without Moose there, and even with her answer to his question she wouldn't be able to face him either.

The morning Moose came back she hid as often as she could, making sure she was on alert for him in the hallways and she didn't eat lunch that day either, choosing instead to stay in the music department. She felt horrible, and she felt even worse when she knew that her cousin would be disappointed in her for how she was acting; she just couldn't help it, she hated confrontation like no other.

It was another week before Moose was able to corner her in the music department during lunch and coerced some kind of answer out of her. He had seen this coming though, with as much as she avoided him, her tear stained face as she sobbed out her no was just the confirmation he needed. He nodded before turning and leaving the room, sprinting out of there and to the dance room.

He was glad there was no one in the room, everyone was still at lunch. He made his way to a corner of the room and sat before burrowing his head and sighing. He didn't cry, he was just highly disappointed. Again though, he had seen this coming and he guessed that's why he wasn't upset as he would have been.

When the bell rang to go back to class he stood, wiped his pants off and headed out the door. He ran into Andie and Chase just outside but he kept walking and he stayed silent for the rest of the day. During practice he was on auto pilot and when they started goofing off he just stood back and watched.

Missy took note of the way he was acting and after a while she went and stood next to him. He noticed her but didn't acknowledge her. A few minutes later she wrapped an arm one of his and pulled him further away from the group, he protested for a moment but gave up shortly and knew telling her was inevitable.

"Moose, what happened? You've been so happy the last few weeks sayin' things were goin' to get really great soon and now you look like someone killed your cat." He smirked and shook his head.

"I have a dog, hate cats…" He sighed and looked away before whispering his answer. "Mouse said no… she avoided me for two weeks and then just said no." Missy gasped and shook her head. She would get down to the bottom of what happened when she got home later.

"I'll see what's up. Maybe somethin' happened and I'm not aware of it. Look, their leavin' let's go." He waved her on and leaned against the wall while he watched Missy approach the crew, a few had left already but Andie and Chase had stayed back to talk to him. Missy stopped and talked to them for a moment and then they all left. He was alone again in the quickly darkening room; he wanted it that way though.


End file.
